Train-control system.



E. A. LAUGHON. TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1914.

Patntd July 11, 1916.

Witnesses Attorneys.

EUGENE A. LAUGHON, O'F ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

TRAIN-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed October 16, 1914. Serial No. 866,974.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE A. LAUGHON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia,have invented a new and useful Train-Control System, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in train control systems.

One object of the present invention, is the provision of a novelelectrically actuated system, by means of which a train within a block,will set signals in front and in rear of the train to signal tofollowing or approaching trains, and at the same time connect short rampor contact rails near the signals, so that a train approaching too nearthe occupied block will be automatically halted should they neglect tostop after re ceiving the warning.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein thefigure is a diagrammatical view of the system showing one block occupiedand protected and an other train approaching the occupied block.

The track apparatus includes the rails 3 and 9 of the track, and saidtrafiic rails are divided into blocks A, B, C, D, etc., which areinsulated from one another, as at 4:. It may be explained at this pointthat some of the duplicate devices of the system are not illustrated inthe drawing, for sake of clearness, but will be readily understood inconnection with the drawing and description. Each block is provided witha battery or source of energy 1 having its opposite poles connected bythe conductors 2 and 12 with the rails 9 and 3, respectively. Asillustrated, only the block C is provided with a battery, but it isevident that each block can be similarly equipped. The battery 1 isconnected to the rails of the block adjacent one end of the block, andconductors 6 are connected to the rails of the block adjacent the otherend of said block. The conductors 6 are connected to electromagnets 7and 7 controlling signals atpoints beyond the opposite ends of theblock'under discussion, and said elcctromagnets are connected by aconductor 6, thus completing a circuit including the battery 1,conductor 2, rail 9, one conductor 6, electromagnet 7 conductor 6,electromagnet 7 other conductor 6, rail 3 and conductor 12, whereby theelectromagnetsare normally energized when the block is unoccupied. Theelectromagnets 7 and 7 of one block are disposed adjacent the respectiveelectromagnets 7 and 7 of other blocks at opposite ends of theintermediate block. The electromagnets 7 and 7 normally attract andraise-the respective armature switches 14 and .13, to normally close thesignal circuit when the track is clear. The adjacent electromagnets 7"and 7 of each pair of track circuits control a common signal circuitincluding a battery or other source of energy 15, a conductor 16connected to the battery 15", a contact a connected to the conductor 16and normally engaged by the switch 13 when raised, said switch 13, acontactb engaged by switch 13 when raised, a conductor 21 connected tocontact 7), an. electroresponsive device 22 controlling the signal orsemaphore 23 and connected to conductor 21", a. conductor 24 connectedto the device 22, a contact 0 connected 'to conductor 21 and normallyengaged by the switch 14: when raised, said switch 14, a contact (Z'engaged by the switch 14 when raised, and a conductor 29 connecting thecontact (l and battery 15. Thus, when both of the electromagnets areenergized to attract the switches, the signal circuit is closed toenergize the electro responsive device 22 to hold the semaphore in clearposition. The signal circuit just described is located between theblocks A and B, and a similar signal circuit is illustrated at theremote end of the block D having the electroresponsive device 33controlling the signal or semaphore 34.

The track apparatus also includes short ramp or contact rails betweenthe blocks,

the contact rails between the blocks A and B being designated20 and 25,while the contact rails at the remote end of the block D are designated20 and 25. Connected to each contact rail 2525 are conductors 19 and 26while connected to the contact rails 20-20 are the conductors 19 and26". The conductors 19 and 26 have the contacts 18 and 27 belowtheswitches 13 to be engaged thereby when said switches fall, and theconductors 19 and 26" have the contacts 18 and 27", respectively, belowthe switches 14 to be engaged thereby when said switches 14 fall.

The train apparatus includes a motor 7 9 operable for retarding orstopping the train. The operation of the motor 79 is controlled by arelay composed of an electromagnet and armature switch 59 adapted to beattracted by the electromagnet into engagement with contacts 61. Onecontact 61 is connected by a conductor 7 8 with the motor 79, and theother contact 61 is connected by a conductor 7 8 with the battery orother source of electrical energy B. The battery B and motor 79 areconnected by a conductor 80 thus completing the motor circuit. Theelectromagnet 55 is connected by a conductor 56 with the battery B, andis connected by a conductor 54 with one contact brush 42 engageable withthe contact rails 20-20, while the battery B is connected by aconductor'56 with a second contact brush 42 engageable with the contactrails 2525. A pilot lamp P is connected to the battery B to indicate thecondition thereof.

In operation, supposing a train T to be occupying the block C, the trainwill provide ashort circuit between the rails, whereby theelectromagnets 7 and 7 at the front and rear of the block will bedenergized, the train T moving in the direction of the arrow.Consequently, the respective switches 13 and 14 drop, thereby openingthe signal circuits and denergizing the devices 22 and 33", whereby thesemaphores 23 and 34 move to danger position. The block C is thusprotected at both ends, and the contact rails 20 and 25 will beconnected by means of the switch 14", while the contact rails 20 and 25will be connected by means of the switch 13". Therefore, should thetrain T in block A moving in the direction of the arrow fail to stopwhen cautioned by the semaphore 23, the brushes 42 in engaging thecontact rails 20-25 will serve to automatically retard or stop the trainT The switch 59 is normally lowered so as to open the motor circuit, andwhen the brushes 42 engage the contact rails, this closes the relaycircuit including the battery B, conductor 56, electromagnet 55,conductor 54, one brush 42, contact rail 20, conductor 26", switch 14',conductor 19", contact rail 25, the other brush 42, and conductor 56.The relay is thus energized to attract the armature switch 59, wherebyto close the motor circuit, thus bringing the motor 79 into operationfor retarding the train, to prevent a head on collision. It will benoted that the contact rails 20 and 25 are also connected whereby atrain approaching the train T from the rear will be retarded in the samemanner as the train T.

V hat is claimed is:

A train control system including traflic rails divided into insulatedblocks, sources of electrical energy connected to the trailic rails ofthe respective blocks, a pair of electromagnets connected to the trafiicrails of two blocks and normally energized when said blocks areunoccupied, a pair of contact rails between said blocks, armatureswitches operated by said electromagnets, a source of electrical energy,a signal device, a normally closed circuit including said switches,source of energy and signal device, whereby when either switch isreleased by its magnet, said circuit will be opened, and means wherebyeither switch when released will electrically connect the contact rails.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE A. LAUGHON. lVitnesses IVY SIMPsoN, M. E. MCCARTHY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

